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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Ex-Kosovo fighter claims victory | Ex-Kosovo fighter claims victory |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A party led by a former Kosovo Albanian guerrilla leader has won the breakaway province's parliamentary election, according to unofficial results. | A party led by a former Kosovo Albanian guerrilla leader has won the breakaway province's parliamentary election, according to unofficial results. |
| Hashim Thaci has promised to declare formal independence from Serbia after 10 December - the UN deadline for Albanians and Serbs to reach a deal. | Hashim Thaci has promised to declare formal independence from Serbia after 10 December - the UN deadline for Albanians and Serbs to reach a deal. |
| It seems likely his party will have to form a coalition with bitter rivals. | It seems likely his party will have to form a coalition with bitter rivals. |
| Serbs, who want Kosovo to remain part of Serbia, boycotted the polls, which saw a record low turnout. | Serbs, who want Kosovo to remain part of Serbia, boycotted the polls, which saw a record low turnout. |
| If Mr Thaci's party did in fact win the largest number of seats in the 120-seat parliament, a period of negotiations is likely to take place before a coalition government is formed, the BBC's Nick Hawton reports from the Kosovo capital, Pristina. | If Mr Thaci's party did in fact win the largest number of seats in the 120-seat parliament, a period of negotiations is likely to take place before a coalition government is formed, the BBC's Nick Hawton reports from the Kosovo capital, Pristina. |
| But every ethnic Albanian party, our correspondent adds, has the same priority: trying to make Kosovo an independent state in its own right and break away from Serbia. | But every ethnic Albanian party, our correspondent adds, has the same priority: trying to make Kosovo an independent state in its own right and break away from Serbia. |
| EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn called for the "rapid formation" of a new government and urged Kosovo's new leaders to "work constructively for a sustainable status settlement". | |
| Kosovo is formally part of Serbia but has been run by the United Nations since 1999 when Nato ejected Serbian forces from the province. | Kosovo is formally part of Serbia but has been run by the United Nations since 1999 when Nato ejected Serbian forces from the province. |
| 'New century' | 'New century' |
| "We will declare independence immediately after 10 December," Mr Thaci told cheering supporters as results were coming in. | "We will declare independence immediately after 10 December," Mr Thaci told cheering supporters as results were coming in. |
| "With our victory today begins the new century... Today Kosovo citizens sent a message to the world, that we are a democratic society, that we are ready to take our country towards the European Union." | "With our victory today begins the new century... Today Kosovo citizens sent a message to the world, that we are a democratic society, that we are ready to take our country towards the European Union." |
| Mr Thaci's Democratic Party had won 34% of the vote with more than 90% of ballots counted, independent observers said. | |
| That puts the former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army in pole position to be prime minister. | That puts the former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army in pole position to be prime minister. |
| The rival Democratic League of Kosovo, which has dominated Kosovo politics since independence, trailed in second place with 22% of the vote, election monitors said. | The rival Democratic League of Kosovo, which has dominated Kosovo politics since independence, trailed in second place with 22% of the vote, election monitors said. |
| Official final results may take several days to come through. | Official final results may take several days to come through. |
| According to election officials, the turnout was around 45%, the lowest since 1999. | According to election officials, the turnout was around 45%, the lowest since 1999. |
| Council of Europe representatives described the turnout as "alarmingly low". | |
| Correspondents say the low figure was down to poor weather and disenchantment with economic prospects, not second thoughts about independence. | Correspondents say the low figure was down to poor weather and disenchantment with economic prospects, not second thoughts about independence. |
| Serb boycott | Serb boycott |
| One hundred of the 120 seats in the provincial assembly were up for direct election, with the rest reserved for Serbs and other minorities. | One hundred of the 120 seats in the provincial assembly were up for direct election, with the rest reserved for Serbs and other minorities. |
| The Serbian government had called on ethnic Serbs not to vote so as to avoid legitimising the new government. | The Serbian government had called on ethnic Serbs not to vote so as to avoid legitimising the new government. |
| A Kosovo Serb spokesman, Rade Negojevic, said just three out of 46,000 Serbs in northern Kosovo had cast ballots. | A Kosovo Serb spokesman, Rade Negojevic, said just three out of 46,000 Serbs in northern Kosovo had cast ballots. |
| "Two people voted in Leposavic district, one in Zvecan and not a single person in Kosovska Mitrovica," he said. | "Two people voted in Leposavic district, one in Zvecan and not a single person in Kosovska Mitrovica," he said. |